Better plan ahead if you want Pa.'s new license: Gathering the paperwork could take months

A sign at the federal courthouse in Tacoma, Wash., is shown to inform visitors of the federal government's REAL ID act, which requires state driver's licenses and ID cards to have security enhancements and be issued to people who can prove they're legally in the United States.(Photo: Ted S. Warren, AP)

Time is running out for Pennsylvanians flying without a passport: Starting in Oct. 2020, your licence won't be considered a valid form of identification to board a commercial flight or visit a secure federal building.

In a new advisory, PennDOT explains that obtaining a REAL ID may require additional verification and a fee above normal renewal charges. And some residents may need to plan months in advance to get their REAL ID licenses, which are scheduled to be available in spring 2019.

Here are the documents that PennDOT says it needs to verify before issuing a REAL ID, which complies with federal law requiring driver’s licenses meet tougher security standards.

An original or certified copy of a birth certificate with a raised seal or valid U.S. Passport

Your Social Security card

Proof of all legal name changes, such as a marriage license or a court order

Two proofs of address – an unexpired Pennsylvania license counts as one; a document such as a bank statement could be a second

For those who have gotten their first Pennsylvania licence since September 2003, there's good news: PennDOT likely has these documents on file for you already, but you'll still need to verify that with the department.

But for those without the necessary original documents, PennDOT has a warning: It could take up to six months to obtain some, such as a duplicate birth certificate.

"PennDOT strongly advises its customers to begin gathering the required documents as soon as possible, especially if they will need to obtain replacement documents," a release from PennDOT says. "Some states may take up to six months to process duplicate birth certificates, so it is advisable to begin that process right away."

The release says that PennDOT's Driver License Centers will be able to verify the necessary documents starting in September 2018. There will also be over a dozen REAL ID Centers around the state.

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Food, beer and wine. Obviously. With hundreds of agricultural businesses enrolled in the Department of Agriculture's Pa. Preferred program alone, the number of unusual food businesses, products and manufacturers in the state is dizzying. When it comes to wine and beer, there are a lot of options as well. Trade organizations say there are over 200 wineries and 200 craft breweries in the state. Pictured here: Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery -- the first pretzel bakery in America, located in Lititz. Jeremy Long, Lebanon Daily News

Crayons. Crayola manufactures 3 billion crayons a year in Easton, according to spokeswoman Karen Kelly. A number of other Crayola products are also made in Pennsylvania, she said. Photo courtesy of Crayola

Forged gifts: Wendell August Forge in Grove City, Pennsylvania makes a wide assortment of metal gifts. "If the piece is entirely metal, which nearly all of our products are, it is made in Pennsylvania," wrote spokesperson Alex DeGroff in an email. Products are available for purchase on the company's website: wendellaugust.com. Photo courtesy Wendell August Forge

Soap. York-based Sunrise soap makes soaps, bath bombs, lotions, lip balms and more in York. Items are available for sale online or at retail locations in York, Adams and Lancaster counties. Joel Shannon, York Daily Record

Wheelbarrows. The AMES factory in Harrisburg is the largest manufacturer of wheelbarrows in the world and hosted President Donald Trump on his 100th day in office. The plant produces 85 percent of American wheelbarrows, according to a statement from the company. "The AMES Companies tools are available at hardware stores nationwide including but not limited to Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart and True Value." Photo courtesy The AMES Companies

The website billskhakis.com features clothing manufactured in the United States. One of their products: Belts made by a Pennsylvania-based Amish beltmaker, according to John Crocco, creative director of
Bills Khakis. Photo courtesy Bills Khakis

Guitars. Martin Guitar's plant in Nazareth, Pa. makes guitars by hand, although it is not the only Martin Guitar plant. All guitars made in Pennsylvania note that they were crafted by hand in Nazareth, and all custom shop Martin Guitars are made in Pennsylvania. The company has been in Pennsylvania since 1839 and is credited with inventing the shape of the modern acoustic guitar, according to spokeswoman Kristi Bronico. Martin Guitar retail locations can be found at martinguitar.com Photo courtesy of Martin Guitar